Multiple zone control apparatus



Aug. 28, 1962 R.o.cHAMBl-:RLA1N ETAL 3,05L242 MULTIPLE ZONE CONTROLAPPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 m m w m Flled June 29 1956 RICHARD 0.CHAMBERLAIN CHARLES E. WAKEFIELD JR.

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ATTORNEYS Aug. 28, 1962 R. o. CHAMBERLAIN ETAL. 3,051,242

MULTIPLE ZONE CONTROL APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29, 1956ATTORNEY5 Aug. 28, 1962 R. o. CHAMBERLAIN ETAL 3,051,242

MULTIPLE ZONE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed June 29, 195e s sheets-sheet s l2`5 lo l i4 i! 24 '4 Jil 1'6 9 f) A j .fi 54 29a i* 29 z \26 H e 26 l| l EIl j INVENTORS RICHARD O. CHAMBERLAIN CHARILS E. WAKEFIELD JR.

BY W, .144

ATTORNEYS 3,05L242 MULTELE ZONE CGNTRL APPARA'K'US Richard 0.Chamberlain, Caliente Ranch, and Charles E. Wakefield, Sir.,Bakerslield, Calif., assignors to Richneld Oil Corporation, Los Angeles,Calif., a corporation of Delaware Fiied Enne 29, F556, Ser. No. 594,8456 Claims. (Si. 165-185) This invention relates to `an apparatus for usein systems adapted for selectively controlling the ilow of oil, gas orother iluid from or into a plurality of vertically spaced formationsadjacent a well bore. More' particularly, this invention is concernedwith means for facilitating removal from a well of an apparatus designedto block ow from an adjacent formation.

-ln our copending application Serial No. 473,782, led December 8, 1954,now Patent No. 2,869,645, lwe have disclosed a system for controllingflow of iluids injected into and removed from a plurality of verticallyspaced producing formations adjacent a cased well bore. We also havedisclosed in that application and in our copending application SerialNo. 489,245, filed February 18, 1955, now abandoned, certain controlstructures for use in the described system. As discussed in our priorapplications, for maximum efciency in controlling wells having aplurality of vertically spaced producing formations it is essential thatcontrol means employed be removable or insertable without the necessityof removing or otherwise disturbing other control members at differentlevels.

ln a system where control of fluid ow is being exercised at a pluralityof vertically spaced points in a well, itis often desired to stop flowinto or from the Well tubing at a given level. This can be done in thesystems of our said copending applications by using flow control membersor valves at the given level which shutoff communication between thetubing and the adjacent formation. The usual control means of our systemcomprises an enlongated valve control member which is placed in a valveseat at a desired level in the well. The valve seat is offset from thevertical aXis of the tubing so that the valve control member can passthrough the tubing past the valve seat. The valve member is centrallybored and iiuid passes through the bore in going from the tubing to theformation or vice versa.

When it is desired to cutoif communication with a given formation, aspecial flow control member is placed in the tubing in a valve seatopposite that formation. The central bore of this flow control member isoccupied so that liuid cannot traverse the bore. This could beaccomplished by providing a solid flow control member, i.e. one havingno through bore; however, in order that the control members be usableunder a variety of flow conditions, they are preferably constructed sothat a solid but removable member (for convenience referred to as asolid bean) can be placed across the bore. Thus the bore of the usualliow control member becomes blanked-oi in simple fashion. As explainedin our copending applications, the solid bean can be replaced by amember or bean having an orifice therethrough of a given size to providea desired flow rate through the control member.

This system of well operation has in general proved satisfactory;however, difficulty has been experienced in removing flow controlmembers from their valve seats when the bore of the control member isoccupied by a solid bean. For instance, in those cases where thepressure within the low string is greater than the reservoir pressureopposite the level of the `solid bean, a rather large force can developas a result of the differential pressure to cause the control member tobe held firmly in position in the valve seat even if the anchoring meansfor the control member be released. Inasmuch as fishing tools used forplacing or removing these control members are run in on a small,piano-type wire line, this differential force frequently cannot beovercome before breaking the line. The instant application is directedto a flow control member modified to eliminate such differentialressures and facilitate removal of the member from the well tubing. Thisremoval might be effected in order that the solid bean can be replacedby an orificed member establishing regulated flow to a given verticalposition of the well bore.

Gur invention will 'be most readily understood by reference to theattached drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section of the lower portion of a valve controlmember of the present invention having an orice plugging rod inserted inthe bore of valve control member and an aperture disposed in its bottomconical section.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical partial section of an embodiment of an upperportion of a valve control member of the present invention showing asuitable latching means and the relationship of the oriiice plugging rodto the latching member.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section of the lower portion of a secondembodiment of a valve control member of the present invention having ashort orifice plugging rod inserted in the bore ofthe valve controlmember.

FGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevational view vw'th parts broken away, ofthe valve control member of FIG- URE l disposed within a Valve seat of atubing section ywithin a weil casing.

FIGURE 5 also is a fragmentary elevational View with parts broken away,of the valve control member of FG- URE 3 disposed within the valve seatof a tubing section within a well casing.

Fl-'GURE 6 is a partial vertical section of the latching medmber showingcut-away slots to permit its rotation, an

FlGURE 7 is a top view taken along section B--B of FlGURE 2.

FIGURE 8 shows a tool used to remove the valve control member from thevalve seat.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURES 3 and 5 constitute one embodimento-f the invention and FGURES 1 and 4 a second embodiment. Bothembodiments hold in common the following members designated by likenumerals: the numeral '9 designates a perforated -well casing and i@represents a tubing section which is provided with a through bore S andwith laterally enlarged portion 12 intermediate its ends. Section 1li isadvantageously adapted at its ends to be engaged in a tubing or pipestring in a well bore. In the laterally enlarged portion l2 is agenerally circular valve seat i4. As shown, valve seat i4 is dened bythe outer wall of the laterally enlarged portion 12 of the pipingsection iii and wall i6. The wall i6 separates the valve seat 14, alonga portion of its length, from horizontal communica-tion with the throughbore S of piping section iti. Strap 1.8 is provided to facilitateretention of the valve control member within the valve seat.Advantageously retaining means 18 can be formed by removing a section`of wall 16 to provide a ring-like retaining member.

Disposed within the valve seat of the laterally enlarged portion l2 ofpiping section iti is the centrally bored valve co'ntrol member meansZit. Advantageously, valve means Ztl may be composed of a plurality ofthreadingly engaged sections comprising an upper portion 22, anintermediate portion 24 and a bottom portion 26. The valve means can bea single unitary structure adapted to have the characteristics disclosedbelow or it may be composed of a plurality of sections as illustrated.When the control member 2t? is composed of a plurality of separablesections it should be understood that suitable O rings such as at 48 inFIG- URES 1 and 3, can be included where an absolute seal is desired.Inserted within bored valve member of both FIGURES l and 3 is beanplugging rod 69, threadedly engaged to cylindrical member 61 (FIGURE 2)in the upper portion 22 of vvalve means 20. The upper portions 22 of theseparate embodiments are similar and the common structure is shown inFIGURES 2 and 6 to 8.

The two embodiments differ as follows. A removable restricted oricemember or bean member `can be placed within the bottom portion 26 asdesignated by numeral 36 in FIGURE Vl, or at a point in member 24 belowthe aperture 21 as designated by 25 in FIGURE 3. In the embodiment ofFIGURE 1 the rod 60 extends longitudinally downward to enter the orificeof bean member 36. In the embodiment of FIGURE 3 a solid bean 38occupies the position of member 36 in FIGURE l and a relatively shortrod 60 is utilized, extending downwardly to enter the oriiice of beanmember 25. Solid bean 38 is not a necessity in the embodiment of FIGURE3. The lower ends of the rods 60 are sized to prevent any substantialfluid ow through the members and 36. If desired, but lessadvantageously, the orifice can be lformed by the walls of member 20 orthe orifice could simply be the bore of member 20. To prevent fluidleakage or by-pass, the beans 36 or 2S can be supplied with G rings 36hor 25h respectively.V The removable orifice members 36 and 25 have theirlongitudinal axis in substantial `alignment with the axis of the bore ofthe valve means 20 above and below it. The dia-meter of the throat ofthe restricted oriiice may Vary and when effective in restricting flowis less than the diameter of the bore of the valve control member 20.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 4 uid flow between a formationopposite the section 10 and the bore of the Valve means is electedthrough an aperture 44a as in `the inwardly tapering valve seat bottom44 of the laterally enlarged piping section 12. With this arrangement,an aperture 42 is provided in the end conical section of the bottomportion 26 of the valve means 20 to communicate the bore ofthe valvemeans 20 and aperture 44a. Therefore the fluid flow path in FIGURES 1and 4 includes apertures y44a and 42, the orifice of member 36 andapertures 21 and 37 with lower seal 54 providing a flow barrier aroundthe valve body. Y

In the embodiment of FIGURES 3 and 5, instead of apertures 44a and 42,an aperture 29 is provided in the intermediate portion 24 above theblank bean 3S. Apertures 29a are provided in valve seat 1.4 oppositeaperture 29. The fluid flow path in FIGURES 3 and 5 is through apertures29a and 29, the orifice of member 25 and apertures 21 and 37 with anlupper seal 54 provided between the valve seat and the Valve controlmember between apertures 29 and 21.

It should be observed that the restricted orifice member receiving rod60 to be effective in stopping flow to and from the formation must beplaced between the aperture communicating the bore of the valve controlmeans 20 with the bore of the piping section S and the aperturecommunicating the bore of the valve means with the exterior of section10 and thus with the well formation via casing 9.

To sealingly seat the valve means 20 of either of the embodiments in thedrawings 'within their respective valve seats, resilient packing seals54 are provided. By placing the seal 54 between the aperturecommunicating the bore of the valve means with the bore of the pipingsection and the aperture communicating the bore of the valve means withthe formation through the valve seat, flow of uid to and from theformation can be prevented from passing through the length of the valveseat unless it passes by means of the bore in the valve means. Theseseals may be of any construction and be disposed on either the valveseat or valve body but resilient seals on the valve body are preferred.

The upper portion 22 of the valve means 20 includes head 2S (refer toFIGURE 2) associated therewith and Y adapted to permit engagement with awell stringing tool (not shown in FIGURE 8) which is capable ofinserting the valve means into and removing the valve means from thevalve seat (see U.S. Patent No. 2,679,903). Circumferentially disposedabout the upper portion 22 is a shouldered projection 30. Shoulder 30engages retaining means 18 (FIGURE 4) so that the valve means 20 isprevented from moving downwardly into the valve seat to an extentfurther than desired. Spaced below the shoulder 30 is a latching means32 which is rotatably mounted on a pin 67 horizontally positionedthrough opposing -walls of the upper portion 22 of valve control member.The latch cam 32 includes a latching finger 33 which projects outwardlythrough vertical slot 56 when in horizontal position. Except for thenecessary modifications, the latching member may take the form andoperate as described in U.S. Patent No. 2,679,903 to permit latchingengagement with the lower side of the retaining means 18.

The modifications involve a center opening 66 (refer to FIGURES 6 and 7)directly through latch cam 32 and pin 67 to permit the free passage ofbean plugging rod 60, and cut-away slots 71, 72, 73 and 74 joiningcenter opening 66 to allow for rotation of the latching means. As shownin FIGURE 6, the slots 71, 72, 73 and 74 are out away from cam latch 32at angles of approximately or 45 from the center opening to theperiphery of the latch cam 32. The slots are cut away from each side ofcenter opening 66 through which bean plugging rod 60 passes atapproximately the middle section of latch cam 32 (see FIGURE 7).Consequently, even though the bean plugging rod passes through the latchcam, it is able .to rotate when it is desired to remove the valve means20.

33 is in the horizontal position of FIGURE 2. Then pin 61 is inserted tohold these parts in this relationship. With the bean plugging rod inthis position member 20 can be latched into a desired valve seat of thetubing string since spring 65 at one end is attached to cam 32 and atthe other end engages the side of member 22 in a manner to'permit upwardmovement of projection 33 while it passes by strap 18. Spring 65 tendsto force the cam 32 in a clockwise direction and will move projection 33until it points downwardly suicient to be retracted into slot 56 ofmember 22. Downward movement of member 33 is stopped by rod 61. As aconsequence of the latching of member 20 in the valve seat flow from theadjacent formation is blocked. Installation of member 20 can beaccomplished as described in U.S. Patent No..

To remove the valve control member 20, fishing tool is lowered to engagethe under portion of the conical projection 28 of the upper portion 22of the valve means. By raising the tool, the pin-62 which connectsslidable rod 63 to the body member 64 is sheared and by reason of theresulting upward movement of the rod 63, the latch cam 32 is releasedfrom the cylindrical catch member 61 and rotates on horizontallypositioned pin 67 so that the nger 33 is retracted through the verticalslot 56 by the action of the spring 65. At the same time, the beanplugging rod, being threadedly connected to the cylindrical catch member61' or rod- 63, moves upwardly so that the. bottom end of the beanplugging rod is withdrawn from the hole in the bean thereby opening thebean. The opening-of the bean equalizes the pressure within the flowstring with the pressure in the formation opposite said tools.Equalizing the pressure in the inside and outside of the-valve meansthus allows the valve control member to be easily withdrawn from thetubular valve seat.Y Y

. We claim: H

1. An apparatus comprisingv an elongated, generally cylindrical memberhaving a longitudinal bore, a rst aperture through the wall of saidcylindrical member communicating with said rbore, a second aperturethrough the wall of said cylindrical member communicating with said boreand vertically spaced below said first aperture, a removable member insaid bore between said first and second apertures and having a throughlongitudinal orice, retractable means in said bore extendable to plugsaid orice for preventing iluid iiow through the bore between said firstand second apertures, means for releasably holding said retractablemeans in how-preventing position, a member pivotally mounted in saidcylindrical member, means biasing said pivotally mounted member towardsa position in which it does not extend radially beyond said cylindricalmember, means associated with said retractable means for positioningsaid pivotally mounted means so that it projects outwardly lfrom saidcylindrical member when said retractable means is held in dow-preventingposition, and means for releasing said holding means and said means forpositioning said pivotally mounted member in projecting position so thatthe retractable means can be withdrawn from tluid ilow-preventingposition when the pivotally mounted member is biased towards theposition in which it does not extend radially beyond said cylindricalmember.

2. An apparatus comprising an elongated, generally cylindrical memberhaving a longitudinal bore, a first aperture through the Wall of saidcylindrical member communicating with said bore, a second aperturethrough the wall of said cylindrical member communicating with said boreand vertically spaced below said iirst aperture, a removable member insaid bore between said rst and second apertures and having a throughlongitudinal orice, retractable means in said bore extendable to plugsaid oriice for preventing iluid iiow through the bore between saidfirst and second apertures and sliding in said cylindrical member abovesaid rst aperture, a frangible pin preventing relative movement betweensaid retractable means and said cylindrical member and holding saidretractable means in now-preventing position, a cam pivotally mounted insaid cylindrical member above said first aperture and below the portionof the retractable means sliding in said cylindrical member, a springassociated with said cam biasing the cam so that it does not extendradially beyond said cylindrical member, means associated with saidretractable means for holding said cam so that it projects outwardlyfrom said cylindrical member when said frangible pin is unbroken, saidretractable means extending through said cam perpendicular to itspivotal axis, said retractable means being provided with an upwardlyextending projection adapted to be engaged by a well tool so that anupward force on the projection breaks the frangible pin to permit saidspring to bias said cam to a non-projecting position and the withdrawalof the retractable means from said orice.

3. An apparatus comprising a pipe section having a through bore andhaving a laterally enlarged portion intermediate the ends of saidsection, a generally cylindrical, elongated valve seat in said laterallyenlarged portion, said valve seat being in communication with the boreof said pipe section and having an opening communicating externally ofsaid pipe section, a longitudinally bored control means removablydisposed in said Valve seat, said control means being adapted to beremoved and inserted in said valve seat by a well tool insertable intosaid pipe section, said control means, valve seat and laterally enlargedportion of said pipe section being proportioned to enable the controlmeans to pass through said pipe section bore, a first aperture in saidcontrol means communicating with the bore of said control means and thebore of said pipe section, a second aperture in said control meansvertically displaced from said iirst aperture and communicating with thebore of said control means and the opening in the valve seatcommunicating externally of said pipe section, ow preventing meansdisposed between the Valve seat and control means intermediate the iirstand second apertures in the control means, means to sealingly separatethe internal portion of the valve seat communicating with the secondaperture from communication with the bore of said pipe section exceptthrough said control means bore, said control means having retractablemeans in its bore extendable to plug a reduced area within said borebetween said first and second apertures for preventing fluid ow throughthe bore between said Iirst and second apertures, means for releasablyholding said retractable means in flow preventing position and means forreleasing said holding means so that the retractable means can bewithdrawn to a position permitting fluid flow from said iirst to saidsecond apertures and through said control means bore.

4. An apparatus comprising a pipe section having a through bore andhaving a laterally enlarged portion intermediate the ends of saidsection, a generally cylindrical, elongated valve seat in said laterallyenlarged portion, said valve seat being in communication with the boreof said pipe section and having an opening communicating externally ofsaid pipe section, a longitudinally bored control means removablydisposed in said valve seat, said control means being adapted to beremoved and inserted in said valve seat by a well tool insertable intosaid pipe section, said control means, valve seat and laterally enlargedportion of said pipe section being proportioned to enable the controlmeans to pass through asid pipe section bore, a rst aperture in saidcontrol means communicating with the bore of said control means and thebore of said pipe section, a second aperture in said control meansvertically placed below said rst aperture and communicating with thebore of said control means and the opening in the valve seatcommunicating externally of said pipe section, ow preventing meansdisposed between the valve seat and control means intermediate the iirstand second apertures in the control means, means to sealingly separatethe internal portion of the valve seat communicating with the secondaperture from communication with the bore of said pipe section exceptthrough said control means bore, said control means having a removablerestricted orifice member in its bore between said iirst and secondapertures, retractable means in said control means bore extendable toplug said oriiice for preventing fluid flow through the bore betweensaid first and second apertures, means for releasably holding saidretractable means in -iiow preventing position and means for releasingsaid holding means so that the retractable means can be withdrawn fromthe oriiice plugging position, and latch means for retaining saidcontrol means in said valve seat when said retractable means is inflow-preventing position.

5. An apparatus comprising a pipe section having a through bore andhaving a laterally enlarged portion intermediate the ends of saidsection, a generally cylindrical, elongated valve seat in said laterallyenlarged portion, said valve seat being in communication with the boreof said pipe section and having an opening communicating externally ofsaid pipe section, a longitudinally bored control means removablydisposed in said valve seat, said control means being adapted to beremoved and inserted in said valve seat by a well tool insertable intosaid pipe section, said control means, valve seat and laterally enlargedportion of said pipe section being proportioned to enable the controlmeans to pass through said pipe section bore, a first aperture in saidcontrol means communicating with the bore of said control means and thebore of said pipe section, a second aperture in said control meansvertically placed below said first aperture and communicating with thebore of said control means and the opening in the valve seatcommunicating externally of said pipe section, flow preventing meansdisposed between the valve seat and control meansV intermediate the rstand second apertures in thecontrol means, means to sealingly vseparatethe internal portion of theY valve seat communicating with the secondaperture from communication with'the bore of said pipe section exceptthrough said control means bore, said control means having a removablerestricted orice member in its bore between said irst and secondapertures, retractable means in said control means bore extendable toplug said orifice for preventing uid dow through the bore between saidfirst and second apertures, means for releasably holding saidretractable means in owpreventing position, a member pivotally mountedin said control means, means biasing said pivotally mounted membertowards a position 'in which it does not extend radially beyond saidcontrol means, means associated with said retractable means forpositioning said pivotaily mounted means so that it projects outwardlyfrom said control means to latch it in said valve seat when saidretractable'means is held in now-preventing position, and

eans for releasing said holding means and said means for positioningsaid pivotally mounted member in projecting position so that theretractable `means can be withdrawn from uid flow-preventing positionwhen the pivotally mounted member is biased towards the position inwhich it does not extend radially beyond said control means.

6. An apparatus comprising a pipe section having a through bore andhaving ,a laterally enlarged portion intermediate the ends of saidsection, a generally cylindrical, elongated valve seat in saidlaterallyenlarged portion, said valve seat being in communication withthe bore of said pipe section and having an opening communicatingexternally of saidpipe section, a longitudinally bored control meansremovablydisposed in said valve seat, said control means being adaptedto be removed and inserted in said valve seat by a well tool insertableinto said pipe section, said control means, valve seat and laterallyenlarged portion of said pipe section being proportioned toV enable thecontrol means to pass through said pipe section bore, a iirst aperturein said control means communicating with the Vbore of said control meansand the bore of said pipe section, ,a second aperture in said` controlmeans Vvertically placed below said iirst aperture and communicatingwith the bore of said O or control and ythe opening inthe valve seatcommunicating externally of said pipe section, owrpreventing meansdisposed between thezvalve seat and control means intermediate the firstand second apertures in the control means, means to sealingly separatethe internal portion of the valve seat communicating with the secondaperture from communication with the bore of said pipe section exceptthrough said control means bore, said control means having a removablerestricted orifice member in its bore between said first and secondapertures, retractable means in said control means bore extendable toplug said oritice for preventing fluid flow through the bore betweensaid first and second apertures and sliding in said control means abovesaid tiret aperture, a frangible pin preventing relative movementbetween said retractable means and said control means and holding saidretractable means in flow-preventing position, a cam pivotally mountedin said control means above said rst aperture and below the portion ofthe retractable means sliding in said control means, a spring associatedwith said cam biasing the cam so that it does not extend radially beyondsaid control means, means associated with said retractable means forholding said cam so that it projects outwardly from said control meansto latch it in said valve seat when said frangible pin is unbroken, saidretractable means extending through said cam perpendicular to itspivotal axis, said retractable means being provided with an upwardlyextending projection adapted to be engaged by a welltool so that anupward force on the projection breaks the frangible pin to permit saidspring to bias said cam to a non-projecting position and the Withdrawalof the retractable means from said orice.

References Cited in the tile orr this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Y

